1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery terminal provided with a current sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
The kinds and number of electric parts of a vehicle continually increase, and, accordingly, the electric energy produced by a vehicle battery is exhausted more quickly. As a result, the remaining capacity of the battery should be monitored. A current sensor may be mounted on a battery post to monitor the remaining capacity. The current sensor detects the intensity of the current, and hence determines the degree of exhaustion of the battery.
Unfortunately, there generally is insufficient space to mount the current sensor around the battery post of the existing battery. The current sensor could be mounted on a wiring harness that is connected with battery post. However, the current sensor could be struck against something and broken during handling of the wiring harness.
The present invention was developed in view of the above, and an object of the invention is to provide a battery terminal with a current sensor that can be mounted easily and that is not likely to be broken.
The invention is directed to a battery terminal assembly with a current sensor. The assembly comprises a battery-side terminal configured for connection with a battery post and a harness-side terminal configured for connection with the leading end of a wire, preferably of a wiring harness. A fastening means enables the terminals to be disconnected from and connected with each other. The assembly further comprises a current sensor mounted at a connecting portion where the battery-side terminal and the harness-side terminal are connected.
The current sensor can be mounted on the battery-side terminal well before the connection of the harness-side terminal. The fastening means then is employed at a later time to connect the harness-side terminal to the current sensor and the battery-side terminal. Alternatively, the current sensor may be mounted on the battery-side terminal at the time of connection of the harness-side terminal with the battery-side terminal. With either option, the current sensor is not mounted initially on a wiring harness, and cannot be damaged during transportation and handling of the wiring harness.
The battery terminal assembly may comprise a mounting portion that extends from the battery-side terminal. The current sensor may be mountable on the mounting portion prior to connection with the harness-side terminal.
Alternatively, the mounting portion may extend from the harness-side terminal. The current sensor may be mounted on the mounting portion of the harness-side terminal at the time of connection of the both terminals. Therefore, an existing terminal can be used as the battery-side terminal.
A linking member may be provided between the battery-side terminal and the harness-side terminal, and the current sensor may be mounted on the linking member. Accordingly, existing terminals can be used as the battery-side terminal and the harness-side terminal.
According to a further embodiment, the connecting portion has at least one mounting piece for connection with the current sensor.
The connecting portion preferably is insertable into a slit provided in the current sensor.